Air duct assembly,particularly for a stable or the like



6, 1969 A. J. T. HAEGENS 3,463,391

AIR DUCT ASSEMBLY, PARTICULARLY FOR A STABLE 0R THE LIKE Filed April 24,1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-.1

i N vE N TOR mau/w I I #456505 Aug. 26, 1969 A. J. T. HAEGENS AIR DUCTASSEMBLY, PARTICULARLY FOR A STABLE OR THE LIKE Filed April 24, 1968AFIG.2

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR United Patent 3,463,391 AIR DUCT ASSEMBLY,PARTICULARLY FOR A STABLE OR THE LIKE Anthonius J. T. Haegens, Horst,Limburg, Netherlands, assignor to Big Dutchman International, A.G.,Wezep, Netherlands, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Apr. 24, 1968,Ser. No. 723,653 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Apr. 26,1967, 6705872 Int. Cl. F24f 7/06, 13/06 U.S. Cl. 23649 11 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An air duct assembly for replenishing air ina stable or the like while removing warm air therefrom, and/orrecirculating warm air in the stable, in variable proportions and in acontinuous manner, said assembly being mounted centrally in the roof ofthe stable and being controlled by a temperature regulator. The assemblyincludes a pair of vertical coaxial tubes extending through the roof ofthe stable and valving means for controlling the volume of air drawn inthrough and expelled out from such tubes.

Nowadays it has become accepted practice to attempt to maintain the airtemperature in large chicken houses, stables and other animal houses ata constant value. For this purpose, it is customary to provide in theside wall of a chicken house or the like a number of air ducts, each ofwhich is divided in two parts by means of a horizontal partition. At theinner side of each air duct a substantially vertical tube open at bothends is connected, the lower part of which is provided with a blower. Inthis tube a double valve hinged on a horizontal shaft is arranged which,in a first extreme position, shuts off both parts of the air duct, theconnection between both parts of the vertical tube lying respectivelyabove and below the transversely joining air duct then being opened, sothat the blower will blow the warm air sucked in from the lower part ofthe interior of the house to the upper part thereof. In the otherextreme position this valve opens both parts of the air duct, but inthis position both parts of the vertical tube are separated from eachother and each communicates with one of the parts of the air duct. Theair sucked in by the blower is then blown outwards, and, as aconsequence of the negative pressure caused thereby, cold air will flowin through the other part of the air duct and the upper part of thetube. In the intermediate positions of the valve, some cold air is drawnin and also a circulation of warm air takes place, the ratio betweenboth depending on the position of the valve.

Such a construction has its limitations. Since the air ducts areprovided in a side Wall of the animal house, the warm air drawn in alongthe bottom as well as the cold air flowing in at the upper side have tobridge a rather large distance if the opposite side of the house is tobe effectively covered. Therefore, a large velocity of air is necessary,and this causes strong air currents and attendant dust, sand, chickenfood, feathers and the like whirling up. This may be prevented byproviding larger numbers of air ducts at both sides of the building, butthat is uneconomical.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved air ductassembly for the purposes indicated above without the limitations ofpresent systems. The assembly of this invention is mounted in the roof,and, preferably, substantially in the median plane of the house, and itcomprises two vertical coaxial tubes, the inner one serving fordischarging, and the interspace between both 3,463,391 Patented Aug. 26,1969 tubes serving for supplying air. The inner tube is extended by adownwardly directed vertical tube in which a blower is provided, andabove this blower the outer tube is joined by a number of substantiallyhorizontal ducts. In the junction to each of these ducts a double valvewith a horizontal pivot axis is provided. In the vertical position ofthe valve, one part thereof closes a passage between the duct inquestion and the inner tube, and, in the horizontal position of thevalve, a passage is closed between the interspace between both tubes andthe transverse duct in question. In the latter position, the other partof each part of each valve partially closes the passage through theinner tube. The latter valve parts are formed in such a manner that theytogether close the passage through the inner tube almost completely anddo not hinder each other when rotating around their pivoting axes.

This, in accordance with the present invention, the warm air may bedrawn in from the middle of the interior space of the house, and thecold air and/or the circulated Warm air is blown in symmetrically fromthe middle. Accordingly, a uniform distribution is possible with arelatively small velocity of the air currents. A downwardly directedblower tube may therefore be extended to the immediate vicinity of thefloor, since because of the low-velocity air utilized, no dust, sand,feathers and food will be carried along or blown about.

For simultaneously operating the valves, preferably four of which areprovided in the walls of a square or rectangular inner vertical tube,the ends of the valve parts swinging in the inner tube may each beconnected to an actuating rope or cable, which are then fastened to acommon winch. More particularly, this winch is vertically positioned inthe axis of the inner tube, and is preferably driven by an electricstep-by-step motor controlled by a temperature regulator. The valves aremade heavier at one end or are biased by means of springs so that theactuating cables are always tensioned.

The parts of the valves lying in the interspace between the tubes arepreferably arranged such. that when in their horizontal position thisinterspace is not completely closed, so as to insure a minimalventilation.

Preferably the transverse ducts used for the distribution of the airblown in are connected to the outer vertical tube by means ofarticulated or flexible joints in order to enable an optimal adjustmentof the air currents. In these joints or in such transverse ducts,baflles may be provided which may be adjustable if desired.

The invention will now be elucidated in detail by reference to thedrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a central vertical section of an air duct assembly accordingto the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an overhead section along the line II-II of FIG. 1, showingthe valves in a closed position.

The air duct apparatus shown, which is placed in the center of a roof 1,comprises an inner tube 2 and an outer tube 3 which are coaxiallyarranged, and preferably have a square or rectangular cross-section.Atop these tubes a hood 4 is provided, in order to prevent rain fromentering, which hood is constructed so that the expelled warm air cannotbe sucked in again immediately.

The inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 have a lower end located a certaindistance below the roof. In the embodiment shown, four horizontal ortransverse ducts 5 join the outer tube 3 near its lower end. These ductscommunicate with the interspace between tubes 2 and 3 by means of anaperture 6, and they also communicate with the inner space of the innertube 2 by means of an aperture 7. On each wall of the inner tube 2 andnear the apertures 6 and 7, a horizontal pivot 8 is provided on which avalve 9 is hinged. As appears from FIG. 2, each valve comprises arectangular and a triangular part. In the horizontal position of thevalve shown in FIG. 1, the rectangular part may close the aperture 6,and in the vertical position the aperture 7 is closed thereby. Thetriangular parts of the respective valves are shaped in such a mannerthat, in the horizontal position, the passage through the inner tube 2is substantially closed.

For operating the valves just described, a step-by-step motor 10 isprovided which may drive a winch 11. This winch operates actuating ropesor cables 12 entrained thereover, which are guided over guide rollers 13and are each connected at one extremity to one of the valves 9. Byenergizing this motor 10 by means of current pulses provided by atemperature regulator 20, the cables 12 are wound or unwound from thewinch. By means of coil springs on the pivots 8 or a suitable weightingof one of the valve halves, the cables 12 are always kept under tension.Of course, it is also possible to operate the valves by hand.

The inner tube 2 is at its lower end extended by a downwardly directedinlet tube 14, which, in the embodiment shown, is composed oftelescoping parts so that its length may be adapted to the height of thehouse. At the upper end of the telescoping inlet tube 14 a blower 15 isprovided which may be used to draw air from the lower part of the houseupwardly through the tube 14, as shown by the arrows. Depending on theposition of the valves 9, this air will be either completely orpartially returned through the transverse ducts or else removed to theoutside through the inner tube 2. Fresh air from outside is drawn inthrough the interspace between tubes 2 and 3 and passes through theapertures 6' to the transverse ducts 5.

On the transverse ducts 5, extension pieces 16 may be mounted, which areconnected to the transverse ducts '5 by means of hinged or flexiblejoints 17, and which may -be fixed by means of additional parts notshown. Furthermore, guiding baffles 18 may be provided in theseextension pieces 16, the position of which bafiies being adjustable inorder to vary the output flow velocity.

As appears from FIG. 2, the rectangular valve parts do not join eachother in such a manner that the apertures 6 are completely closed. Theremaining passages 19 ensure a minimum ventilation.

It is of course possible to change the various parts described in manyways. For instance the valves 9 may be shaped triangularly if it isdesired to fully close the passages 19. The extension pieces 16 may befixedly connected to the transverse ducts 5 if an adjustment thereof isnot required. The guiding baffles 18 may be omitted if desired, and itis also possible to use extension pieces 16 with such an axialcross-section that the velocity distribution desired is obtained.

In this manner an air duct assembly is obtained which enables a veryeflicient temperature control and ventilation within the whole spacewith a minimum of blowers and an air current velocity which is as smallas possible.

-I claim:

1. An air duct assembly, of the type particularly adapted for use in astable or the like, comprising: at least two air ducts for transferringwarm air from inside the stable to the outside and taking in cold airfrom outside into the stable, respectively; a pair of open endedpassages joining said ducts; a double valve for connecting one suchpassage to the other in an extreme position of such valve while at thesame time closing said ducts in order to direct air taken from insidethe stable back to the inside; said valve having another extremeposition wherein said passages are connected to one duct and the otherduct is opened, in order to direct warm air out of the stable and takein cold air; said duct assembly arranged to be mounted in the roof ofthe stable and substantially in the longitudinal median plane of suchstable; said air ducts comprising a pair of vertical coaxial tubes, theinner one thereof serving for discharging air to the outside and theinterspace between both such tubes serving for supplying outside air tothe inside of the stable; said inner tube having a downwardly directedextension tube in which a blower is provided; said open-ended passagescomprising substantially horizontal duct members joining said outer tubeabove the height of said blower; said double valve being located at thejunction of said horizontal duct members and outer tube and having oneset of movable parts which in a first position close a passage betweenthe horizontal ducts and the inner one of said tubes, and which when ina second position close a passage between the interspace of the coaxialtubes and the horizontal duct; said valve having another set of partswhich when said one parts thereof are in said second position at leastpartially close the passage through the inner tube; said other valveparts being formed in such a manner that when they at least partiallyclose the passage through the inner tube they do not hinder each otherin their respective operating movements.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said downwardlydirected extensiontube has a lower end extremity located substantially below the level ofsaid horizontal duct members.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said extension tube istelescopically extendable.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said inner and outer coaxial tubeshave a rectangular cross-section, and wherein the valve parts which moveinside the inner tube are triangular.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ends of said valve parts movinginside the inner tube each are connected to a cable member for actuationthereby, such cables being fastened to a common winch.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said valve parts are moved bytemperature-responsive regulator means.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said valves include means formaintaining said cable members under tension at all times.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said one parts of said double valvehave a size and shape such that they are precluded from closing theinterspace between both tubes completely.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said horizontal ducts are providedwith extension pieces which are adjustably connected to such ducts.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one of said horizontalducts or said extension pieces have internal bafiles.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein said internal baflies areadjustable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,401,621 9/1968 Aaberg 98-33WILLIAM E. WAYNER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

